Television

Marks & Gran partner Corona TV for new joint venture

MUMBAI: British TV writing duo Laurence Marks & Maurice Gran are planning to couple their creative engine with Corona TV’s Richard Johns and Rupert Jermyn in a new joint venture.

The new company will create original scripted programme that will captivate a new generation of mainstream audiences all over the world. LocomoTV is already building up a head of steam with a number of projects already in development.

Speaking on this partnership, Marks and Gran said, “One of the most exciting and rewarding phases of our career was when we had our own production company, ALOMO, in partnership with Allan McKeown, a brilliant, dynamic and forceful executive. We feel a similar frisson in getting together with the young (compared to us), ambitious and enthusiastic production pairing of Johns and Jermyn. We still generate far too many ideas for new projects, so we couldn’t ignore the opportunity to team up with the Corona boys and bring some extra fizz to television.”

LocomoTV will be supported by FremantleMedia, which already has a stake in Corona TV and has the rights to much of Marks & Gran’s back catalogue following Pearson’s acquisition of SelecTV in 1996. FremantleMedia will work with the new company on development and has a first look to distribute any titles originated by LocomoTV.

FremantleMedia and LocomoTV will also combine to exploit Marks and Gran’s considerable back catalogue through the distribution arm of FremantleMedia International.

Corona Television co-CEOs Richard Johns and Rupert Jermyn added, “Lo and Mo are long-standing pals of ours who just happen to be two of the UK’s best TV writers, and who are bubbling with as much creative energy as they ever were. Decades of success have not blunted one little bit their appetite to bring compelling, deeply human stories and characters to audiences in the UK and worldwide.”

They further added, “Lo and Mo's ability to deliver an emotional and dramatic reach to the broadest audiences, across all the ages, classes and the sexes is unrivalled in contemporary British television, and is frankly pretty unique worldwide. It is testament to their deep understanding of the human condition and their skill in finding fresh and compelling ways to highlight aspects of it to audiences. We're so proud to be launching this bold and ambitious new company together.”

In recent years the duo diversified their talents by moving into theatre, creating hit stage plays such as The Blair B’stard Project, Birds of a Feather - Live and Von Ribbentrop’s Watch. They also wrote the book for Olivier nominated musical Dreamboats and Petticoats and its sequel Dreamboats and Miniskirts, which is currently touring.

Marks & Gran recently received a “Living Legends of Comedy” award by the British Comedy Society and are soon to appear on BBC Radio 4’s iconic Desert Island Discs.